


Bright as Red

by ofhoneyandrosepetals



Category: K (Anime)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27109687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofhoneyandrosepetals/pseuds/ofhoneyandrosepetals
Summary: Reader is left on the streets in a severe situation, being found by Totsuka Tatara, who gets to himself the responsability to help and heal the girl in HOMRA's headquarters. When she wakes up, she's led by the wanting to seek for revenge, going after who's hurt her.
Relationships: Yata Misaki/Reader
Comments: 5
Kudos: 3





	1. 1

Totsuka Tatara had found her in the streets, tossed in an alley like a ragged doll, her school uniform a bloody mess. She had hair by her shoulders that covered her face while Totsuka brought her inside HOMRA’s headquarters in his arms, her arms and legs hanging freely.

“What is this?” Asked Kusanagi Izumo, the second in command, horrified at the sight.

“I found her like this in an alley nearby. She’s unconscious,” answered Totsuka.

“And you had to bring her here?” Said Kusanagi in annoyance.

“What was I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know, maybe get her to the damn hospital?”

“She’s hurt, Izumo. I… I couldn’t leave her. Look at her. She looks so helpless.”

Yata Misaki saw everything from the couch, eyes wide open in curiosity. Kusanagi took a deep breath.

“We’re not a charity.”

“Please…” Totsuka pleaded, stopped by the hearing of someone’s footsteps. His eyes laid upon his King, who watched silently the scene before him. His amber eyes said enough.

“Tatara…” Kusanagi begin saying, but Suoh Mikoto cut him off.

“I know. Come,” said the King to Totsuka, who followed him. “You can put her in your room,” his deep voice said without any emotion. “Mind to explain yourself?”

Totsuka repeated the story he told Kusanagi while Mikoto sat at the edge of the bed, observing the young and injured girl.

“Give me one reason to accept this situation,” Mikoto said.

Totsuka said without even stopping to think:

“It’s the right thing to do. You helped me, now I want to help her. Who’s the monster who’d hurt a girl in such ways?”

Mikoto took a deep and lazy breath and got up from the bed, tapping Totsuka’s shoulder before saying:

“She’s your responsibility. I don't want her around for too much time. She’s not one of us.”

Totsuka shook his head one time in acceptance and sat by the girl’s side after Mikoto left.

“Don’t worry, girl. I’ll take care of you, and soon enough you’ll be all patched up and new.”

*******

Yata avoided the girl’s room - well, actually Totsuka’s room - all he could. Even though she couldn’t see him or as far as he knew, hear him, she still made him nervous. He only saw her three times, when Totsuka had asked him to help with her recovery.

The situation was pretty bad, he imagined. She was there for five days already and hadn’t moved since. Everyone thought that maybe she was close to death when found by Totsuka, but what did they know, right?

Yata helped Totsuka while he patched up her wounds and ran away when Totsuka motioned to change her dirty, bloody clothes with clean ones. They were Yata’s clothes, since him and the girl were close in height. He didn’t mind giving his clothes to her, although this idea made all his blood go up to his cheeks.

Kushina Anna would often be by the girl’s side, only watching her as her chest went up and down as she breathed.

“She’s a little red,” Yata heard the little girl say to Kusanagi, who just slipped her a glass of juice through the balcony.

“Oh yeah?”

“Do you think Mikoto will let her stay with us?” She sounded hopeful.

“I don’t know, Anna.”

“Totsuka-san had been telling her about us. Do you think she can hear?” Yata said, a little bothered.

“Maybe. Who knows. Want a soda, Yata-chan?” Kusanagi asked.

“Yeah, alright,” Yata slid on the barstool next to Anna. “What do you think of her?” He asked while sipping.

“I like her,” was all the little girl said. Yata wondered whether Anna had read the girl’s thoughts or not, or if even she _had_ any thoughts while being unconscious.

“Yata-chan, would you go check on the girl? Tatara left to buy some more things that he needs.”

“Me? Why…?”

Yata was cut off by a tough look of Kusanagi and immediately went to Totsuka’s room.

He took a look at her bandages, but they all seemed alright. Since he felt the room very much silent, he leaned over her, trying to see if she was breathing. With his index finger placed under her nostrils he felt the weak air.

For some external forces he kept there, watching her face as she breathed silently. She was young, but seemed to be his age. Wondering what had happened to her, Yata gently poked the dark bruise on her temple, apparently causing her to open her eyes in a shot.

She screamed when she saw the boy figure so close to her, touching her temple. Yata screamed in response, scared with her scream. So fast that he couldn’t imagine _how_ she did it, she got the metal tray that contained clean bandages and pointed at him. Yata fell on the floor on his ass and started pushing himself backwards until his back reached the wall.

“Who are you? Where am I?” She started asking desperately.

“Kusanagi-san!” Yata called for the second in command.

“ _What is this place? Who the fuck are you?_ ” She asked more desperately.

“ _Kusanagi-san!_ ” Yata screamed louder.

The door flew wide open and Kusanagi entered in a storm, only to stop calmly when he saw the girl.

“Oh, so you’re finally awake.”

“Where am I? Who are you?” She asked again, still pointing the metal tray to Yata.

“Why are you still pointing this to me?” The boy asked, getting up.

“My name is Kusanagi Izumo. I’m the second in command of HOMRA. And you are?” He was calm, standing a hand to the girl in an offer.

“ _Why_ am I here?”

“My friend saved you. He found you in an alley, almost dead. Do you remember any of that?”

The girl dropped the metal tray on the floor, causing an annoyed sound. She touched her injured temple, frowning.

“Unfortunately,” she finally said, hate consuming her eyes.

“The red,” said a small voice.

Anna was hidden behind Kusanagi, only peaking at the girl.

“What red? I don’t see anything…” Yata complained, scratching his head.

“How are you feeling?” Kusanagi asked.

“Where’s your friend?”

“He left, but he should be back at any time. How are you feeling?”

The girl’s eyes went straight to Yata, examining him and therefore embarrassing him.

“I’m okay. A bit tired.”

“Any pain?”

She nodded negatively.

“Wanna eat anything?”

As in response, her stomach growled. She turned her head, cheeks red.

“No need to be shy. Come, eat something,” Kusanagi pointed his head towards the door.

The girl hesitated, but Anna went straight to her, grabbing her hand and pushing her gently. Yata was the one to leave for last, sitting on the couch and giving some looks at the girl while she ate.

Totsuka Tatara finally arrived, making the room to be all noisy with his excited voice.

“You’re awake! Hi! I’m Totsuka Tatara, and you are?”

He left all his bags to fall on the floor to sit next to her, who seemed to be a little scared by all the sudden attention.

“Calm down, Tatara, you’re scaring her,” Kusanagi said.

Totsuka had the brightest and biggest smile on his face when he apologized. The girl took a moment to finally say:

“I’m Y/N Y/L/N. I was told you’re the one who helped me. Thank you,” her voice was weak, and before Yata could tell, she was crying, her shoulders trembling. “Thank you,” she repeated. “Thank you thank you thank you.”

Everyone in the bar didn’t know what to do, except for Totsuka, who gently grabbed Y/N’s hand.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he also had a gentle smile on his lips. The girl grabbed his shirt and leaned over it, soaking the cloth with her tears. Totsuka hugged her, tapping her shoulder blades. “There, there. It’s over now. You’re okay.”

“ _No_ ,” she screamed in desperation. No one seemed to notice that Mikoto had gotten to the place. “It’s not over. It’s not over until _he’s_ alive. He won’t give up until _I’m_ dead too.”

“Who?” Totsuka asked carefully.

“He’s disgusting. I hate him. I hate him I hate him I hate him,” Y/N had her hands closed in a tight fist, causing her nails to open her palms and blood drip on the wooden floor.

“Hey, stop it!” Yata exclaimed. When the girl looked at him, he stuttered. “You’re hurting yourself.”

Y/N suddenly took notice of Suoh Mikoto, the Red King. She knew who he was, not because Kusanagi told her while she was eating, but because she heard around. Everyone knew who the red-haired man before her was. And she pretty damn well knew what he did.

She ran towards him, falling on her knees, bowing.

“Thank you. Thank you for allowing me to be healed here. Thank you, Red King.”

Mikoto kept eyeing the girl at his feet, not saying a word. It was impossible to even imagine what was passing through his mind.

“I ask only one thing, if you allow me,” Y/N said.

“What is it?” His deep voice said in return, serious.

“I have nothing. I have no one but myself. I have no purpose but to seek my revenge. Please, let me serve you as a payment for all you did. I’ll do so willingly, Red King.”

Everyone stood in shock at their places as they watched the scene. Yata’s heart was racing.

“Mikoto…” Kusanagi said before red flames engulfed Suoh Mikoto.

His eyes shone.

“Do you really intend it, little girl?”

“Yes. Yes, I do,” Y/N’s voice didn’t tremble as she looked up to Mikoto. “I meant every word I said. I’ll follow you loyally, anywhere you need me.”

“Is that so…?” Mikoto had a half smile, offering his hand to her, flames still engulfing him.

 _She’s gonna shake his hand_ , Yata thought.

Y/N stared at the flames, curiously, no fear in her eyes. She grabbed Mikoto’s hand, shaking once.

His red flames engulfed her as well, all of her body. _This is so hot_ , she thought. A specific part of her body burned the most, but it wasn’t a hurtful burn; it was a good burn. She bit her lips to prevent the smile.

Once the flames were over, she felt it. Lifting the shirt that she had on - not before Yata turned his head, cheeks burning red -, she stared at the red mark on her left ribs, touching it with the tip of her fingers, amazed.

She looked up to Mikoto, placing a hand on her heart as she bowed a little, saying:

“My king.”

He shook his head once and went to the bar, being served by Kusanagi.

“This demands a celebration!” The bartender said, giving her a rootbeer float. “Here, finish your food. You need to recover your strength.”

But before sitting on the barstool, Y/N went to Totsuka Tatara.

“Thank you, Totsuka-san. I’ll be forever grateful that you saved my life.”

“I’m glad I did so,” he answered.

Y/N also shot a small smile at Yata, who had his cheeks immediately burning in red, looking away from her.

Y/N sat beside her King and started eating, gaining all the strength she needed to pursue her revenge.


	2. 2

That afternoon the headquarters was silent - not even Kusanagi was behind the bar, taking care of his beloved belongings.

Y/N was sitting on the leather couch as she tied her shoelaces. Yata Misaki had just entered the building, skateboard on hands, when she got up and crossed eyes with him. Curious, the boy asked, not wanting to sound rude:

“Where you think you’re going?”

She hesitated before answering, passing her weight to one feet to the other.

“Home,” Yata’s brows furrowed, and before he could ask anything else she added: “Kinda. I can’t use your clothes forever,” she gestured vaguely to her own body, still using Yata’s shirt and shorts, a bit loose on her.

“I thought you said your house was attacked,” his brows were furrowed more than ever, his hand gripping tightly to his skateboard. 

“It was.”

“And you intend to go there alone? All by yourself?”

The boy sounded not only angry, but a little worried, Y/N thought.

“I can’t ask anyone to go with me.”

“Of course you can. You’re one of us now.”

“I didn’t mean that,” she smiled just a bit. “The bar is empty,” she shrugged.

“Oh,” Yata lost arguments. “In that case, couldn’t you wait?”

She took a deep breath and sat back on the couch, hands passing through her hair. 

“I need to go there. I need to see… what left. If anything.”

Yata didn’t understand any of that, his life before HOMRA being way too different than hers, but he thought that she wasn’t being inconsequent, at least not entirely. It was understandable. Except the part for going alone.  _ That  _ was stupid.

“As far as I understand, that place is still dangerous for  _ you _ to go, let’s say alone. C’mon, I’ll go with you,” he said before she even opened her mouth. Yata got his baseball bat and looked at her by the door, as if saying  _ you coming? _

She smiled - causing him to blush - and followed him. Even though Yata had his skateboard, it remained on his hands.

Y/N led the path to her house, the silence between them very much palpable, although it didn’t seem to bother the girl. She had her hands on tight fists, her jaws clenched. Yata could only wonder how she felt - angry? Sad? Nervous? All three of them? He didn’t know what to do nor what to say, so he just stood behind her, following as she turned street after street.

He would be lying if he said he didn’t want nothing to happen while they were at her house. It was a dangerous location at the moment, but he had hopes that whoever attacked her, they would be there, so he could kick the shit out of their bastard ass.

What kind of person would hurt a girl that bad? The memory of her being carried inside the bar by Totsuka still haunted Yata’s thoughts, all the blood and dirt and ripped clothes. He only hopped for the ripped clothes to mean nothing else like he was imagining. He thought that, if it was the case, she would’ve said, right? She wouldn’t be hanging around with all of them, with all those men.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said upfront, as if reading his mind. He swallowed. “It’s written in all your faces, the doubt. Don’t worry, Yata-san,” she turned her head to look at him, and Yata’s heart raced at the sufixe on his name leaving her mouth.

“Good,” was his only response as he gripped his hand tighter to his skateboard and baseball bat. “But that doesn’t mean they’re impune on that.”

“No. They’re not,” she said, impassive. “It’s here.”

Y/N stopped at the front gates, the house behind it being very beautiful.

Besides the fact that was a damn mess. 

“Were you here? When this happened, I mean,” Yata asked.

She hadn’t told that part of the story, not yet.

“I was. My mom told me to hide, but when I saw that…”she closed her eyes. “When I saw that it was useless, after…”

Yata froze in place, not knowing what to do.

“I know,” he said, saving her to say the words, or anything like it.

“So I ran. I know it might look like that this was useless too, but maybe this is what saved my life.”

He nodded once.

“Because of that Totsuka-san saw you. Saved you. It wasn’t useless. It was a good call,” he gestured his head towards the house. “Ready when you are.”

She opened the gates and entered the property without ceremonies, Yata right behind her.

“Let me,” he said before she could open the front door. Y/N stared at Yata for a moment before nodding one time, giving him space.

With the bat he opened the door slowly, taking a peek inside. It was dark and a mess. The furniture was broken and scattered all around, papers being the new floor. Yata tried to switch the light on.

“I think the energy was cut.”

“Or destroyed. The wires, I mean.”

Yata entered, followed by Y/N. She took a look around, devastated.

“I didn’t know… it looked that bad.”

“Were they looking for anything specific?” Yata poked the mess on the floor with his bat.

“I don’t know. I mean, clearly they were - are -, but I don’t know what it is.”

“I don’t understand why this happened. All you said is that you and your parents were attacked.”

“I don’t understand much of it either, I never knew something was up until that day. All I know is that this creepy guy came in, prying up the gates and door, screaming for something,” Y/N got on her knees and moved a piece of furniture - or what left of it - away from the wall, revealing a vent. With her fingers and nails she tried to open it, failing.

It took Yata only a movement of his hand to open the small vent with his Red Aura.

“You gotta learn how to use your powers now.”

“It’s been less than a day. Cut me some slack,” she gave him a small smile and put her hand inside the vent, taking out some money. She continued to tell the story as more money came out. “That piece of shit came in, already breaking everything and asking ‘ _ where is it? _ ’ as some demand.  _ Fuck _ , I wish I knew what ‘it’ is. I don’t even know what my father had gotten himself into.”

“You’re here to find this out,” Yata stated as Y/N got up, money in hands. She nodded.

The next thing she did was go upstairs, to what Yata thought was her room. Shy, he stood by the door as he waited for her to gather what she wanted. She came back with two backpacks, one full of what he assumed was her clothes and the other for whatever she was looking for. The money was in there.

“I need to go to my parent's room,” she said seriously.

“Okay.”

“I can’t do this alone.”

“Oh…”

Yata froze once again, chewing the inside of his cheeks. Of course that he nodded to her, what else could he possibly do? Let her go alone in there? In front of the door she froze, hands halfway to the doorknob. Yata opened it for her with his power. She gave him a thankful look.

He could hear when she stopped breathing, taking all in.

The room was just as a mess as the rest of the house, but he understood why Y/N would be all shaken up. Her parents just died, she was all alone in this world and to see this place looking like this…

It wasn’t easy, he wondered. With shaky hands and a racing heart, Yata placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, making her tremble by surprise. It felt like his touch gave her the strength that she needed, because a second later she was already moving around the room.

Yata moved along, taking a peek here and there, not really knowing what to look for - or what he was looking at.

“I’m looking for my dad’s computer, or my mom’s. Any computer, really, hoping that no one got it first.”

“Got it.”

Yata started looking at the dresser, ignoring the underwear with a deep heat blush as he found a key.

“Oi,” he called, both of them turning at each other. He tossed the key at Y/N, who got it midair. “Nice catch,” he said with a rascal smile.

Y/N examined the key carefully.

“I’ve got no idea what this opens,” she said while turning the key between her fingers.

“Guess we gotta try to open every damn thing to find out,” and there it was again, that rascal smile.

“So let’s try to open every damn thing,” she answered with the same smile on her lips.

“We should try my dad’s office,” Y/N said after a failed search at her parent's room. She didn’t want to take anything from there, or at least Yata didn’t see it. As they stepped in the room, Yata pointed at the computer on the desk.

“ _ That _ computer, you meant?” He had a funny look on his face.

“Of course not,” she said calmly. “Although I could take the hard drive off to take a look later, but I have the feeling that there’s nothing in it.”

“Considering everything, yeah,” Yata opened every drawer and door.

“With your power we don’t need this key to open whatever’s closed, but that surely gave us the idea to look for something hidden.”

“I don’t know, the first thing you did when you got here was to pry open a vent and take money. I think you would find something that was hidden in some closed drawer or whatever.”

“Good point,” she smiled.

Yata’s phone started ringing and he answered.

“Yatagarasu here.”

“ _ Yatagarasu? _ ” Y/N let out a little giggle.

“Ah, Kusanagi-san. She’s with me. I-I’m with her, I mean. She…”

Y/N was nodding furiously.  _ Don’t tell him! _

“She needed fresh air. To think. I’m keeping her company, making sure nothing happens. Okay. Got it.”

“Thank you for not telling anything.”

“That’s not good. If they ever find this out, I’m dead meat.”

They continued their search, Yata being faster than ever. “After that call I think we should speed things up a lil’ bit.”

“I have an idea.” Y/N started to toss all the books from the bookshelves to the floor in a speed up race. “Help me!” And so Yata did it. After all the bookshelves were clean, he asked: “What now?”

“Now we look for fakes.”

“Fakes?”

As an answer, Y/N started knocking on the wall, trying to hear if anything sounded like there was a space behind it.

“It sounds weird here,” Yata said, knocking the same spot multiple times. Y/N nodded to him, giving permission to use his power there.

“But be careful. We don’t want to fuck up anything in there.”

“‘Course.”

A rash of red flames burst out of Yata towards the spot in the bookshelf, opening a hole up. The edges were still burning when Y/N stretched out her arm and looked for whatever was inside there.

“A velvet purse,” she said before opening it.

“Are those…?”

“Computer parts,” Y/N finished. “A hard drive. Two, actually. I’m gonna take the one in the computer as well. It’ll only take a moment.”

“No rush,” Yata said as he turned around, wondering if they should look for more.

“I think we can call it a day. Just do these last honors, would ya?”

Y/N was kneeled by a vent, giving Yata a sassy smile.

“Sure thing,” he quickly opened the vent and Y/N grabbed a handful of money. When she got up he noticed her stare at him. “What?”

She was actually staring at what he had on his hands, his skateboard and bat. 

“My dad had…” she pointed with her chin at his bat. “My dad had one autographed by his favorite player. I would like to take that with me.”

“Where is it?”

“It was supposed to be here.”

“Let’s go look for it. Maybe it’s still here.”

Yata’s determination in helping Y/N surely gave her the strength that she needed to not start running away from her house, scared by her feelings and by the state of the property. What was she thinking? She could’ve never go there alone. She wouldn’t make it. Not by herself.

“I’ll look here and you there. Let’s make it quick,” she told him.

After some time of looking through the mess she finally found it, her dad’s aluminum metal baseball bat, signed by his favorite player. For a moment she didn’t have the guts to take it, to merely touch it - the hell with it, she couldn’t even look at it without threatening tears. She sobbed as she kneeled in front of it, dropped carelessly on the floor. As if it was used and then discarded.

Yata was seeing all of that from the corner, not wanting to let her know that he could see her; but considering how good she was to say all the right things in the right time, he had no doubts that she knew he was there, looking.

It was heartbreaking, the whole thing.

Her sobs bursting out of her made Yata want to do something, anything, to make her feel better. A thing like this should never happen to a girl. And she was so smart, so self-reliant…

“Did you really look everywhere?”

Y/N immediately turned to where the strange voice came from, and Yata didn’t give a shit anymore if she knew he was looking at her crying. Both of them stood there, frozen and quiet. Even her breath was calculated. 

The foreign steps were fading away - whoever was there, they were probably going to the office. Thank goodness Yata and Y/N had just left there, taking anything important with them.

With the most silent steps Yata has ever heard, Y/N got up, her dad’s bat in hand and both backpacks on each of her shoulders.

She said silently “the garage” and Yata followed her. Once there - no car at sight - she started looking for something, with a mixture of most silent and quickness she could pull up. She let out a happy sigh when she found whatever she was looking for. Yata turned to see her putting on roller skates. 

Something lit up inside the boy, a new and therefore unknown sensation. He quickly shrugged it off - there was no time for new feelings, not now.

“We gotta go,” Y/N said in a rush, getting up on her roller skates.

Yata stood where he was, anger flowing through him, getting into his bloodstream, making his Red Aura make a casual appearance. He tightly gripped his bat.

“Was it them?’ It was all he asked.

“I don’t know. The voices sounded different, plus I think the guy who attacked me isn’t here.”

“But they surely  _ are with him _ ,” it was taking all of Yata’s strength to not go after those bastards and give them hell. 

“There’s no time for it. We gotta go.  _ Now _ ,” when she saw that Yata wasn’t moving, his Red Aura getting darker and stronger, she continued talking. “Don’t you think I don’t wanna do something, too? I do! But that’s not the right time. I can’t take the risk of losing the hard drives.”

His aura gave up a little bit, but he was still not moving.

“Yata-san, please,” his jaw clenched. “Please.”

“Lemme take one backpack,” he held out his hand. She tossed him one.

“Let’s be quiet until we’re at a safe distance.”

Yata was amazed by her ability to tiptoe on those roller skates, being able to not emit a single sound. Outside the garage, in the backyard, Y/N looked back at her house. “I don’t think I’ll be coming back here again.” He could only give her a sympathizing look.

“What about the key?” He asked.

“I don’t think it matters anymore. Let’s bet on a race to HOMRA,” she said, a smile on her lips washing away any sadness. Before Yata could agree, still putting her backpack on his shoulders, she was already skating away, getting an advantage.

“Oi!” He shouted when he was already on the streets. “Wait up! That’s not fair!” He complained as the air gave him her laugh as a response. 


End file.
